110 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
their possible pollution by sewage, are still before us and 
pressing for solution. In addition to the work of our own 
Scientific Assistants. the Local Government Board and the 
Fishmongers Company are both independently collecting 
information in regard to the existing state of affairs. It 
is very desirable that a careful survey of the beds in 
relation to sewer outfalls, and a bacteriological examina- 
tion of adequate samples, as well as an extension where 
necessary of the series of experiments we have been 
making to test the efficacy of transplanting polluted 
shell-fish to purer water, should be made without further 
delay. 
{ have myself been engaged almost continuously 
throughout the Easter‘and Summer Vacations in taking, 
from the yacht, periodic plankton samples, along with 
specimens of water and sea temperatures, both surface and 
deeper, in the central part of the Irish Sea around the 
Isle of Man—for the purpose of studying the distribution 
of the plankton organisms, the comparative efficiency of 
different plankton nets, and the representative value of 
the samples taken by such methods. A full account of 
this work, in continuation of last year’s observations, 1s 
eiven below by Mr. Scott and myself. 
Finally, I append to the report a Memoir, by my 
former student Mr. W. J. Dakin, on the structure, mode 
of life and economic importance of ** Pecten,” the common 
edible scallop, or “clam” as it is called in the Scottish 
fisheries—an animal well worthy of further attention and 
cultivation, both as a wholesome food and as an attractive 
bait. The cost of producing the plates which illustrate 
this Memoir has been met by a grant of £20 from the 
University of Liverpool. 
; W. A. Herpman. 
FISHERTES LABORATORY, 
Universttry oF LivERPOooOL, 
January 31st, 1909. 
